Education is a matter of utmost importance. This is particularly so when educating people, particularly children, as to the process of birth. Many parents, teachers, ministers, counselors and others, are routinely faced with the difficult task of explaining to a young child "how" aa baby is made and "where" a baby comes from. For an infinite number of reasons, ranging from the complexity to the intimate nature of the subject matter, many find it difficult to explain to a young children "how a baby is made", "where the baby comes from" and, generally speaking, what the birthing process entails. The difficulty is perhaps best illustrated by the continuing debate over whether sex education is best done in the home or in the classroom. Regardless of one's opinion, the very fact that the debate rages on is reflective of the complex and sensitive nature of the issues and the intensity of the participant's opinions. The need is thus great for devices and methods that assist individuals in explaining the birthing process in a meaningful and tasteful manner.
A common tool for representing or depicting a baby is a doll. Dollmaking and presenting is an art to itself. More particularly, the provision of doll houses and intricate containers for storing a doll are well known. There are, of course, many other known containers that store a variety of items valuable to their owner. For example, jewelry boxes store jewels, toy chests store a multitude of toys and file cabinets store important papers and documents. Such containers are made in such a fashion that their main function is only to store items. They are not typically attractive if left open since you can see the contents of the container. Therefore, they are usually closed and perhaps locked. Usually the owners of the stored contents, i.e., the jewelry, toys or pills want these items to be hidden.
There are also, of course, many known devices which display a variety of items. For example, bookcases display books, and photos. Curio cabinets and other glass-enclosed cabinets display fine collectibles such as crystal, china, antique porcelain and silver. In the example of bookcases, books and items placed on the shelves are accessible and always in view. A bookcase does not protect books from dust or the elements. Curio cabinets, on the other hand, can protect items from dust and the elements, but the items placed in these cabinets are not accessible to the owner. These curio cabinet and other glass enclosed display cases are usually locked, thereby increasing the lack of access to its owner.
Accordingly, there is also a need in the art for a device which can function dually as a storage container and a display unit, and also allow an item being displayed to be accessible to its owner. Such a need is particularly great in the case of fine dolls. The collection of fine dolls is a long-standing practice of many who appreciate the workmanship and craft of the dollmaker. It is desirable to have a storage and display unit that protected the doll from the elements but also served to display the doll for viewing.